Malasiqui Agno Valley College
#1 Bonifacio St., Poblacion Malasiqui, Pangasinan
College of Teacher Education
A.Y. 2024-2025
COMPILATION
OF
WRITTEN
REPORTS
IN
SURVEY OF PHILIPPINE LITERATURE IN ENGLISH
SUBMITTED BY: GROUP 4 (BSE-3B)
Leader: Niadas, Christine M.
Assistant Leader: Siobal, Juvy F.
Members:
Diaz, Richalene O.
Almonte, Angelica Ruth T.
Valencia, Melanie Joy B.
Gonzales, Elma A.
Fernandez , Angelyn B.
Mamaril, Mark Lester M.
Macaraeg, Fernando D.
Sinlao, Andrea M.
SUBMITTED TO:
Ms. Regine Bataan
ENG 14 & 16 INSTRUCTOR
Definition of Literature:
The word literature is derived from the Latin term litera which means letter. It has been
defined differently by various writers. Because literature deals with ideas, thoughts and
emotions of man, literature can be said to be the story of man. Man’s loves, griefs, thoughts,
dreams and aspirations coached in beautiful language is literature.
•(ARNOLD MOLINA AZURIN) Brother Azurin, said that “literature expresses the feelings
of people to society, to the government, to his surroundings, to his fellowmen and to his
Divine Creator.”
• In PANITIKING PILIPINO written by Atienza, Ramos, Salazar and Nazal, it says that “true
literature is a piece of written work which is undying.
• Obdulia L. Atienza, Maria S. Ramos, Lucila A. Salazar, Anita R. Nazal
WHAT IS PHILIPPINE LITERATURE?
•Literature with the Philippines.
•Written in Spanish, English, Filipino, or any other indigenous language.
•Includes the legends of prehistory and the colonial legacy of the Philippines.
•Some of the notable literature are written during the Spanish period.
WHAT IS PHILIPPINE LITERATURE IN ENGLISH?
•Started with the coming of the Americans.
1900: English as a medium of instruction in public schools.
American Soldiers: First teachers
August 1901: Thomasites arrived (500 American teachers, on board USAT Thomas)
1908: Primary and intermediate grades were using English.
WHY DO WE NEED TO STUDY PHILIPPINE LITERATURE?
We study literature so that we can better appreciate our literary heritage. Through a study of
our literature, we can trace the rich heritage of ideas handed down to us from our forefathers.
Then we can understand ourselves better and take pride in being Filipino.
Time Frames of Philippine Literature in English:
1. The Period of Re-orientation: 1900-1910
2. Period of Imitation: 1910-1925
3. Period of Self-Discovery: 1925-1941
Period of Re-Orientation (1900-1910)
Not much literary work were produced because writers were still adjusting to:
• the idea of democracy
• the new phraseology of the English language
•Standards of the English literary style
Period of Re-Orientation (1900-1910): Periodicals
•El Renacimiento
-Founded in Manila by Rafael Palma in 1901
•Philippine Free Press
- Established in Manila by R. McCollough Dick and D. Theo Rogers
Period of Re-Orientation (1900-1910): Poetry
1907: Sursum Corda, written by Justo Juliano, was published in El Renacimiento
-First work to be published in English means “lift up your hearts” or “hearts lifted”
1909: My Mother and Air Castles, by Jan F. Salazar were also published
To My Lady In Laoag, by Proceso Sebastian
Period of Imitation (1910-1925)
• 1919: the UP College Folio published the literary compositions of the first Filipino writers
in English. They were the pioneers in short story writing.
Filipino writers imitated heavily American and British models which resulted in a stilted,
artificial and unnatural style, lacking vitality and spontaneity.
• Short stories, novels and essays in English came to exist in this period.
• Writers of this folio included Fernando Maramag (the best editorial writer of this period)
Juan F. Salazar, Jose M. Hernandez, Vicente del Fierro, and Francisco M. Africa and
Victoriano Yamzon. They pioneered in English poetry.
•Essay
Noted essayists: Carlos P. Romulo, Jorge C. Bocobo, Mauro Mendez, and Vicente Hilario
-Truly scholarly characterized by sobriety, substance and structure. They excelled in the
serious essay, especially the editorial type.
•Informal Essay
Ignacio Manlapaz, Godefredo Rivera, Federico Mangahas, Francisco B. Icasiano, Salvador P.
Lopez, Jose Lansang and Amando G. Dayrit
-Introduced the informal essay, criticism and the journalistic column. They spiced their work
with humor, wit and satire.
Period of Self-Discovery and Growth (1925- 1941)
• Filipino writers had acquired the mastery of English writing
• competently wrote on a lot of subjects although the old-time favorites of love and youth
persisted
Poetry produced during this time was original, spontaneous, competently written and even
socially conscious.
Period of Self-Discovery and Growth (1925- 1941)
Poetry: Noteworthy names in this field include Marcelo de Gracia Concepcion Jose Garcia
Villa, Angela Manalang Gloria, Abelardo Subido, Trinidad Tarrosa Subido and Rafael
Zulueta da Costa.
They turned our not only love poems but patriotic, religious, descriptive and reflective poems
as well. They wrote in free verse, in odes and sonnets and in other types.
GENERAL TYPES OF LITERATURE
Prose consists of those written within the common flow of conversation in sentences and
paragraphs, while poetry refers to those expressions in verse, with measure and rhyme, line
and stanza, and has a more melodious tone.
I. PROSE
There are many types of prose. These include the following:
• Novels. A long narrative divided into chapters and events is taken from true-to-life stories.
(Example: WITHOUT SEEING THE DAWN by Stevan Javellana)
• Short story. This is a narrative involving one or more characters, one plot and one single
impression. (THE LAUGHTER OF MY FATHER by Carlos Bulosan)
•Plays. This is presented on a stage, is divided into acts and each act has many scenes.
(Example: THIRTEEN PLAYS by Wilfredo M. Guerrero)
II. POETRY
There are three types of poetry and these are the following:
A.Narrative Poetry. This form describes important events in life either real or imaginary
1.Epic. This is an extended narrative about heroic exploits often under supernatural control.
Example: THE HARVEST SONG OF ALIGUYON translated in English by Amador T.
Daguio
2.Metrical Tale. This is a narrative that is written in verse and can be classified either as a
ballad or a metrical romance.
Examples: BAYANI NG BUKID by Al Perez
HERO OF THE FIELDS by Al Perez
3.Ballads. Of the narrative poems, this is considered the shortest and simplest. It has a simple
structure and tells of a single incident.
B. Lyric Poetry. Originally, this refers to that kind of poetry meant to be sung to the
accompaniment of a lyre, but now, this applies to any type of poetry that expresses the
emotions and feelings of the poet. They are usually short, simple, and easy to understand.
1. Folksongs (Awiting Bayan). These are short poems intended to be sung. The common
theme is love, despair, grief, doubt, joy, hope, and sorrow. (Example: CHIT-CHIRIT- CHIT)
2. Sonnets. This is a lyric poem of 14 lines dealing with an emotion, a feeling, or an idea.
(Example: SANTANG BUDS by Alfonso P. Santos)
3. Elegy. This is a lyric poem which expresses feelings of grief and melancholy, and whose
theme is death. (Example: THE LOVER'S DEATH by Ricaredo Demetillo)
4.Ode. This is a poem of a noble feeling, expressed with dignity, with no definite number of
syllables or definite number of lines in a stanza.
5.Psalms (Dalit). This is a song praising God or the Virgin Mary and containing a
philosophy of life.
6.Awit (Song). These have measures of twelve syllables (dodecasyllabic) and slowly sung to
the accompaniment of a guitar or banduria. (Example: FLORANTE AT LAURA by Franciso
Balagtas)
7.Corridos (Kuridos). These have measures of eight syllables (octosyllabic) and are recited
to a martial beat. (Example: IBONG ADARNA)
C. DRAMATIC POETRY
1.Comedy. The word comedy comes from the Greek term “komos” meaning festivity or
revelry. This form usually is light and written with the purpose of amusing, and usually has a
happy ending
2. Melodrama. This is usually used in musical plays with the opera. Today, this is related to
tragedy just as the farce is to
3.Comedy. It arouses immediate and intense emotion and is usually sad but there is a happy
ending for the principal character. 3. Tragedy. This involves the hero struggling mightily
against dynamic forces; he meets death or ruin without success and satisfaction obtained by
the protagonist in a comedy.
